Myths and Realities of Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins - pregnant women are required to take large amount of vitamin pills. They may also be required to take extra iron as well. The taste of these vitamins the first time around can make the pregnant woman sick to my stomach. The second time, they may not taste that bad.
Prenatal vitamins are a hot topic these days and many are talking about the benefits of using them before getting pregnant. The reasoning is that prenatal vitamins may help prevent some birth defects. Doctors are recommending women take them throughout their pregnancy period and while breast-feeding to prevent any vitamin or mineral shortage.

These best prenatal vitamins are receiving much attention and there is a lot of information about their functions and dosage needed that is false and misleading. There are several myths going around that need to be corrected.

1) Myth number one is that taking prenatal vitamins will be sufficient for you no matter what is in your diet. This is not true. Prenatal vitamins are intended to supplement your diet and will work better if you are already eating a healthy diet that includes various foods. Also, there are some vitamin shortages in some prenatal vitamins. Calcium is one example of a daily requirement that isn't in a prenatal vitamin. A pregnant woman needs about 1200 to 1500 mg of calcium a day to help her baby grow and meet her needs. A prenatal vitamin usually only has about 250 mg of calcium.

2) All prenatal vitamins are alike is another popular myth. Again, this is not true. New studies reveal that only three out of nine prescription vitamins released failed to release the folate they said they contained. The body may not have absorbed it if the vitamin did have the recommended daily requirement.

3) Myth number three is that prescription vitamins are better than nonprescription vitamins to use as prenatal vitamins. Many vitamins that are prescribed can also be found over-the-counter. Not all vitamins are created the same. The most important thing is how well the vitamins are absorbed by the body. Doctors sometimes will prescribe prescription vitamins so health insurance companies will pick up the cost.

Talk to your doctor about which prenatal vitamins they recommend when you are looking into which prenatal vitamin is right for you, There are some important facts to keep in mind when choosing prenatal vitamins.

1. No vitamin will provide you with all the calcium your body will need.
2. Too much iron in a vitamin may not be absorbed properly and could cause constipation.
3. If you consume too much vitamin A it can cause birth defects such as spina bifida.
4. Be sure you use a multivitamin with under 10,000 IU of vitamin A.

If the taste or the texture of your prenatal vitamin bothers you or makes you sick, try switching brands. Huge strides have been made in the taste, texture, and size of prenatal vitamins in the last 35 years.

The articles on this website should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.